Variable-speed and power-transmitting device.



No 857,679. PATENTEI] JUNE 25, 1907. T. SGHEFFLER.

VARIABLE SPEED AND POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.28. 1906.

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No. 857,679. PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

'T. SGHEFFLER.

VARIABLE SPEED AND POWER TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION PILED'APE.28,1906.

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WITNESSES- INVENTOR. ,& Tcociara ff W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE SOHEFFLER, OF PATERSON, NEWJERSEY.

VARIABLE-SPEED AND POWER-TRANSMITTING DEVICE.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE SCHEFFLER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Paterson, in the countyof'Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Variable-Speed and Power-Transmitting Devices, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to the transmission of power in vehicles, as wellas to the change of speed and the direction in which the vehicle ispropelled. The invention is likewise applicable to shaftings, pulleys,hoisting-engines steam and electrical railroad cars, and othermechanisms too numerous to mention, but in the accompanying drawings myinvention is shown as embodied in, and applied to automobiles.

One object of this invention is to dispense with all gearing and chainsin the propelling of vehicles; another object is to provide means forthe change of the speed without the use of gearing and chains; anotherob.- ject is to provide means for reversing or changing the direction ofpropulsion without gearing and chains and without stopping the engineand a still further object of the invention is to provide means forstopping or bringing a vehicle to a stand still without gearing orchains and without stopping the engine.

As shown in the drawings which form a part of this specification Icommunicate power from the engine shaft to either the axle or wheels ofthe vehicle through reversible friction clutches, the connections beingmade by means of shifting or shiftable connecting rods extending fromthe engine cranks to clutch-levers that are attachedto clutch-hubsmounted on the vehicle axle. To the outer end of each connecting rod issecured a hanger through which the connecting rods are raised or loweredby means of a lever, the outer end of each connecting rod being securedand movable in a longitudinal opening in its respective clutch-lever;for the adjustment and regulation of the swing of said clutch-lever, inorder to regulate the speed of the vehicle. A pair of reversingclutch-hubs movable horizontally on the sleeves of the clutch-hubs arethe means provided for changing the direction of the propulsion or forbringing the vehicle to a standstill all of which may be accomplishedwith out stopping the engine. The stopping,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 28,

I starting or backing of the vehicle is deter mined by the distancewhich said reverse clutch-hubs are moved in a horizontal direction bymeans of suitable hand lever.

It is obvious that I may lock either the axle or the wheel to propel thevehicle in the desired direction; or may release the same when desiredor I may automatically lock or release the opposite wheels alternatelyin propelling the vehicle in one direction, without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention.

A portion of the devices shown in the drawings are improvements onpatents issued to me March 17, 1891, No. 448,575 and June 9, 1903, No.730,481. a

In the accompanying drawings, in which similarletters of referenceindicate like parts, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the drivingmechanism of an automobile, Fig. 2 is an end-. view, Fig. 3 a plan, Fig.4 is an end-view of clutch-ring casing with two half-rings and end ofclutch-pin, Fig. 5 is an end-view of reverse hub with reverse mechanism,also showing clutch-lever A and lifting mechanism of connecting rod C indetail, Fig. 6 is a sectional view through clutch, parallel with shaft-S, Fig. 7 is a plan of clutch with reverse lever arrangement, Figs. 8;and. 9 sectional views through line as a; Fig. 4, and Fig. 10 is asectional view through line 00a; of Fig. 4 showing the relativepositions ofv the reverse-hub, clutch-hub, wheel hub and cant ing clutchpin, when the clutch-pin does not cant and the wheel-hub is unlocked andcapa-v ble of rotating in either direction on the axle.

To the hubs I, I of the wheels -W W of an automobile are attached theclutch-ring casing -H, -H of the B have elongated sleeves w-, w fittingloosely on the shaft S-; the clutch-pin a passes through an opening ofangular shape dee in B, at end -(i fitting the sides of a forming afulcrum for the pin; to the top ends 'B and B are secured the slottedclutchlevers A, A into which fit sliding blocks q-, to the centers ofthe same are connected at s the ends of connectingrods C, -C, while theother ends of C-, -C' are coupled to the crank-pins P, P of the drivingshaft S P and P being opposite or 180 apart, and the motion transferredto levers A and A-, then when one lever is befriction-clutch, theclutch-pin hubs B, I

ginning the stroke the other has finished it. The friction clutches towhich these levers are secured are constructed so, that when one leveris locked the other is free on shaft S, therefore the first one turningthe wheel, the other producing no motion, only when it begins the samemotion as the first 011e, it will move the wheel to which it isattached, and continuous revolutions of the crank shaft will produce acontinous motion of the carriage to which the wheels are attached. Thewheel-hubs of the clutch-ring casings are allowed to turn on shaft S,which is fastened on the ends to pedestals t, t attached to frames F, -Fof carriage. A shaft -L is located above the frames -F, F with bearingsT, T on F, F, attached to said shaft are levers L, L, L has hub 1 on oneend fas 'tened to shaft L- and the other end has hub 3 to which arefulcrumed the hubs L of lifting hangers h, h, with hubs 1',, c at lowerend, the latter being fulcrumed to the forked ends k* of the connectingrods -C-, C- a short distance from s; the lever L is attached on oneside to L with hub 2-,

the other end has a slotted square hub which is allowed to move on anarc guide n to which it may be fastened with a threaded handle --L at-P, for various positions as required for various speeds. When the end-s of connecting-rod (L- is near the center of the wheel-shaft S- theclutch-lever A- will describe a greater angle by one revolution of crankthan when at the extreme end of lever A, therefore different speeds maybe obtained by shifting the end of -C to different heights on *A, byraising or lowering lever handle L The reverse-hubs B, R, have groovedsleeves g, g loosely fitting on clutch-pin hub sleeves w, -w allowing atransverse motion parallel with the wheel shaft S, but guided by steadypins a a these hubs are allowed the same reciprocating motion with theclutch-pin hubs. The flat parts of the hubs have openings through whichpass the clutchpins a, a, as shown in detail in Figs. 5, 6, 8, 9, theopening plainly seen in Figs. 8, 9- has two parallel sides in the samedirection as clutch-pin a and are of the same width as 0i on that end,from these sides are cut off angular pieces increasing the opening onpin end and on end toward B, the end of clutch-pin has a taper end andfarther back is also sloped toward the main body of the prismatic partof the pin, so that when B is close to -B- a space V- will be leftbetween lower side of pin and upper side of opening in B as shown inFig. 8. When B is moved off some distance from B- a space -'v isproduced between the upper side of pin and lower side of opening in R,as shown in Fig. 9, the opposite sides to these spaces 0 and c are thestraight sides of ct and openings in -R. The straight prismatic end ofthe clutch-pin enters the space between the two half clutch-rings bbwhich abut opposite the pin, they are inclosed in casing H-. Asdescribed above the narrow space in angular shaped opening in clutch-pinhub forming a fulcrum for the clutch-pin a, the latter will be allowedto cant in either direction when the fulcrum is moved either to right orleft and tighten the two half-ringsin the casing so that a rockingmotion would be produced, but by introducing the reverse-hub at the endof clutch-pin hub B the clutch-pin can cant only when it is thrown bythe fulcrum toward the open space c in R and when moved the other waythe flat side of pin will touch the flat side of opening in R, Fig. 8,and the clutch is unlocked, but when R is moved some distance away fromB as shown in Fig. 9, the motion will be reversed, so that in the firstposition the clutch may be locked to the wheel, when going forward,while when required to go back-ward it is necessary to shift thereverse-hub B. The reversing is done by levers -r-, -r, the lever 1' hasa forked end with short studs m, m which enter the grooves g, g on thesleeves of B, R permitting the shifting of B and -R- simultaneously sothat when R is u to B, R- is away from B an when reversed by shiftingthe lever, the opposite takes place,

the reversing may be done when the machine is in motion 1n eitherdirection. The levers rand 1" are fastened to a short shaft nhaving abearing in hub f which is fastened to a cross-bar f between frames. Thelever r ends forward in a handle 0-. There is also an intermediateposition where B and R are placed in relation to the clutch-pins so thatthe straight sides on both sides of pins touch both sides of openings ofR, and R then the clutch will be released both ways, the crank shaft mayturn but produce no motion of wheels. This intermediate posi tion isshown in Fig. 10. There the wheelhub or split-ring casing is loose onaxle S and the clutch hub B and reverse-hub B are oscillated by therocking of the clutch-lever A through the working of the engine withoutaffecting in any way the said hub H. Q is the engine cranlcpin.

From the above description it is obvious that my invention by means of adevice which is simple, durable, positive, practical and effectiveaccomplishes the following objects: It dispenses with all gearing. Itaffords control of maximum and minimum speed, and all intermediatespeeds obtained .by one lever.

No driving chains required. No driving shaft with bevel gears, etc.,required. Power applied directly from engine at all times to axleofwheel without gearing of any kind. Can be reversed at will ofoperator, without stopping engine or in emergency reversesautomatically, locks wheels or axles from running in opposite directionto that required by operator. Ascending grades or steep hills it isimpossible for car to run back, even if no brake is applied, should anaccident to machinery occur. No auxiliary brake'required. Descendinggrades or steep hills, should brake give out or control of car be lostby operator, wheels can be absolutely locked by applying reverse lever.No auxiliary brake required. Dispensing with all gears or chain drivesadds at least to the efficiency of the engine, thus permitting thisadditional amount of power to be ap plied directly .to driving car,instead of losing it in friction, etc.

The invention may be applied to any existing engine as the improvementsrelate to the transmission of ower therefrom and to change of speed anddirection of vehicle.

IVhile the mechanism illustrated in the drawings clearly shows myinvention practically applied, it is obvious that many changes andmodification may be made in the construction shown without departingfrom the broad scope and spirit of my invention.

\Vith this description of my invention, what I claim is 1. Thecombination with an axle, of a casing having an annular receptacle, asplit expanding ring carried in said receptacle, a clutch-hub looselymounted on said axle and having an opening therethrough the sides ofwhich form a fulcrum for a canting clutchpin, a reverse-hub providedwith a like opening therethrough the sides of which are partly parallelwith and partly at an angle to, the axle, and a canting clutch-pinpassing through the openings of the reverse-hub and clutch-hub into thesplit-ring casing between the abutting ends of the split-ring,substantially as set forth.

2. In a vehicle, the combination with an axle, of a wheel hub having anannular receptacle therein, a split expanding ring carried in saidreceptacle, a clutch-hub loosely mounted on said axle and having anopening therethrough the sides of which form a fulcrum for a cantingclutch-pin, a reverse-hub fitted on said clutch-hub adapted to rotatetherewith and to be moved horizontally thereon, and provided with a likeopening therethrough the sides of which are partly parallel with, andpartly at an angle, to the axle, a canting clutch-pin passing throughthe openings of the reverse-hub and clutchhub into the wheel-hub betweenthe abutting (Usual throttle also usedj] 3. In a vehicle, thecombination with an axle, of a pair of wheel-hubs each having an annularreceptacle therein, a split-expanding ring carried in each of saidreceptacles, a pair of clutch-hubs having their inner ends abutting eachother and their outer ends abutting against said wheel-hubs, an o eningpassing through each of said clutch-hu s, the sides of said openingforming a fulcrum for a canting clutch-pin, a pair of reverse-hubsfitted on the sleeves of said abutting clutch-hubs adapted to rotatetherewith and horizontally movable thereon, like openings through saidreverse-hubs, the sides of the openings being partly parallel with, andpartly at an angle to the axle, a canting clutch-pin passing through theopenings in each set of reverse and clutch-hubs into the wheel-hubbetween the abutting ends of the split-ring, and means forsimultaneously moving said reverse-hubs horizontally on saidclutch-hubs, substantially as set forth.

4. In avehicle, the combination with the axle and a pair of wheel-hubseach having anannular receptacle therein, a split expanding ring in eachof said receptacles, a pair of clutch-hubs abutting against saidwheelhubs, a pair of reverse-hubs adapted to rotate with saidclutch-hubs and be movable in relation thereto, openings through thereverse-hubs and clutch-hubs, a clutch-pin adapted to pass through saidopenings in each set of hubs and between the ends of the split ring, andto be held straight or canted in either direction, by the movement ofthe respective reverse-hubs, a predetermined distance toward or awayfrom the respective clutchhubs clutch-levers having sliding blocks, andpower transmitting connecting rods having their reciprocating endsfulcrumed to said sliding blocks, and means for adjusting the positionof said sliding blocks in relation to the said clutch-levers to changethe speed substantially as set forth.

5. In a vehicle, a clutch-lever device comprising a canting pin andclutch members adapted to operate the driven members of a vehicle, incombination with such driven members and means for engaging saidcanting-clutch-pin to drive the members of the vehicle in the directiondesired, and to release clutch-pin so as not to cant, causing the saidmembers of the vehicle to revolve loosely on the axle thereby stoppingthe vehicle without stopping the engine, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE SCHEFFLER.

Witnesses:

JAMES EGAN, EDITH BENZ.

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